Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-08-25
A Newsy Letter from Washington.

Using with its debtors. In one case it
accepted $4,000 in settlement of judg-
ment OF $50, 900, obtained against the
bondsmen, or rather the surviving
bondsman, of pension agent whose
accounts were found short thirty years
ago. This way of waiting many years
until the principals are dead and then
suing the heirs of the parties, may DE
all right for the Government so as to
enrich its exchequer, but it is at the
sacrifice of all law and justice. But
the Government has a way of sleeping
on its rights until all tho immediate
parties to the transaction have been
dead many years and their grand chill
dren have grown 10 mature years, and
then resurrecting old papers crumbling
to pieces with age and bringing the
grandchildren into court to answer for
the wrong doing Of some. person on
whose bond the name of the grand
tdtCbt hDllO6iS 40
AS another instance out of many, may
be cited the case Of certain contractor
here who undertook to supply, in 1874,
wood and coal to the Navy Department.
The contractor was at the time and for
many years afterwards man of much
means as was also his father, who was
one of two sureties on the bond. The
contractor failed to furnish all the wood
and coal called for and The Government
without notice 10 the sureties went into
open market and purchased the fuel at
rates above the contract price, charging
the difference TO the contractor. Thir-
teen years this summer after the death
of the contractor and his father the
Government sues the surviving surety
for the amount paid by the Govern
ment above The contract price for the
fuel. The bringing of this suit was the
first intimation that the surviving surety
had of the failure of the principal to
keep his contract. Had the Govern
ment been diligent in the case it could
have recovered of either the principal
or his father, one of the suretles, but it
waited until both died insolvent, and
then and without previous notice of the
default, and thirteen years after it &C.
CURED, sued the surviving surety alone
who is a man of moderate means but
honest, aud who, if the courts lind him
liable, will have to sacrifice his all to
make good The claim.
70 come now to more recent case
we have that of the late Levi Bacon,
who was appointed financial CLERK of
tho Patent Office in 1876. while Zach.
Chandler was Secretary of the Interior.
This official held office from that time
until two months ago. when, for the
first time, an examination of his ac-
counts was made, although there had
come into power since his appointment
several administrations-De as
well as Republican. The examination
disclosed shortage of $4,000, extend
ing bsck to within short time after his
appointment. Aud yet even now, with
knowledge of the shortage and the
amount, no suit is brought to recover
of the sureties on the bond who are
perfectly responsible. Perhaps, after a
change in the Administration, or after
these men are dead and their heirs not
in position to defend the suit, an ac-
ton will be instituted to recover the
amount. 1t is true that one of the sure
ties on the bond. Hon. Jay HubbeIl, of
Michigan,of Republican, Congressional
Campaign Committee fame, still has
some influence, and the other surety,
James l.. Norris, Esq, of this city, a
prominent and staunch Jacksonian
Democrat, who believes ia turning the
rascals OUT has as much influence as
any man who miUgles at the Capital
with Judges, Senators, and Cabinet
officers, but still justice to all persons
concerned and to the public demands
that the officers whose business it is to
cause suit to be instituted, shall be dill
gent in the discharge of the duties i'm
posed upon them and not deferred
therefrom by any false sense of SYM
pathy. The developments in the suit
may prove not only highly interesting.
but also startling and even sensational,
but no matter what they are, and who
may be made to pay up, let the suit be
at once instituted Now is .he time for
action.
This letter is called forth by the
numerous suits lately brought by the
Government on bonds given and de-
faulted on at time whereof the
memory of man runneth not to the con-
trary, and with the hope of waking up
some officials to the necessity and JUS
tice of diligence in all cases of default
where suit can be brought on the bond.
II.